Danube and Lake Balaton Cycling Tour

<b>Servus!</b> Our Slovenian train was delayed, so we missed our connection in Villach (Austria). We kicked off the tour three hours later.

We've been cycling around Europe for 15 years. This classic route had been patiently waiting on our (un)wish list.

<b>No drama:</b> We left the heatwave at home. The Danube only flows downhill. And, just as the guidebook promised, the wind would be our best friend.

We had imagined this cycling pilgrimage route to be much busier. Even in peak season, we met surprisingly few like-minded cyclists.

We had long since made up for the delay on the first day, so the bikes got to enjoy several well-earned breaks.

A wonderfull scenic photo captured by a random passer-by.

And this is what it looks like when we take it ourselves.

Powered by solar energy, we floated into one of Austria's smallest towns, home to just 819 residents.

By sorting waste correctly, one person can save several hundred kilograms of CO₂ emissions per year. Comparable to leaving a conventional car parked for several thousand kilometres.

What used to be once-in-a-century floods have, in this century, become once-a-decade events. They will have to extend the water level measure again.

The towns are protected by flood walls and embankments. In the event of rising water, removable flood barriers are inserted into the gaps. How do they manage to install them in time along stretches more than a hundred kilometres long?

The section between Passau in Germany and Vienna is often described as the <i>holy grail</i> of European recreational cycling.

A typical day for the <i>professionals</i>: casually riding 100+ flat kilometres, setting up and packing camp, cooking... and repeating it all again the next day.

Austria's oldest (over 900 years) and largest monastic underground wine cellar stretches across four levels.

Do these doodles still count as street art?

Thanks to modern filtration systems, the air coming out of the gilded chimney is said to be cleaner than the air on Vienna's streets.

The two perfectly mirrored buildings differ only in their sculptural details, revealing what lies inside.

The <b>Giant Ferris Wheel</b>, one of Vienna's symbols, stands in one of the world's oldest amusement parks. Entry is free.

An environmental paradox: we cycled through Austria's largest oil terminal, only to find ourselves shortly afterwards in a protected national park.

With stronger winds and heavy traffic, the bridge sways noticeably. Dining in the UFO restaurant comes with a delicious 4D floating experience.

Cumil at work. Waiting for a passer-by's skirt.

We weren't splashing around in the Danube with this model, but in a lake excavated in the middle of the last century for construction purposes, near Bratislava Airport.

The <i>Revital</i> buffet was closed that day.

Most of the route looked like this: flat, empty, paved, and looooong cycling avenues. Perfect for a cyclist's meditation.

The city is home to the world's largest automobile engine factory, where nearly all engines for Volkswagen Group vehicles are produced.

Around 50 km of the route also follows busy roads alongside passing long-haul trucks.

Something for every taste. The city is great for relaxed cycling. You just have to pick the right routes.

In some of our older cycling blogs, we weren't always wearing helmets. We're correcting that bad example.

For lovers of urban art. We thought the lettering had some historical significance, but it actually turned out to be the name of the wastewater <i>management</i> company and the foundry.

We also took a dip in the Hungarian Sea, where you can only drown if you lie down. Instead of mud, there were sharp stones. Only after a few hundred metres could we finally start swimming.

One earthly night's stay in a not-so-<i>special</i> campsite lightened our wallets by EUR 60. The entire trip, including tickets, cost EUR 800.

We spent our remaining forints on a meaty souvenir and wrapped up the tour. We made it home with <i>only</i> a one-hour delay.

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